Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

.-,1 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD March 10, 1928 PRESS SHEETS ' BACK TO LIBERTY (Excellent mystery-drama) : Arrange to have a private showing for the state prison or for the prisoners in your town. Get them to write a few lines on "What I would do to get 'Back to Liberty' " or "Does it pay to be a criminal ?" Tie up the stories with your newspaper to have them printed. Following is a letter for your mailing list: "Dear Patron : You probably will wish to make a note for the .date of ! for on that date we will have as our feature picture, "(Jack to Liberty," a thrilling mystery-drama. The cast of "Back to Liberty" includes Edmund Breese, Gene Del Val, George Walsh, Dorothy Hall and Desacia Moores. They make of it a capital entertainment, one of the best we have been privileged to show. We hope you will be in our audience to 6ee this picture. Sincerely yours, _ theatre." BUCK PRIVATES (Universal comedy-drama) : A gala opening night can feature a tie-up with the officers of the American Legion or distinguished members as your honored guest. The Legion band or the local guard band can furnish the music. Those who are 6till incapacitated should be brought to the theatre in automobiles furnished for this occasion. Arrange a parade of local Legion members to the theatre on your opening night. Dress a man in a soldier's uniform and a girl in a German girl's costume. They can walk through the streets of your town hand in hand and a sign on the man's back can announce the picture at your theatre. Promote a newspaper voting contest to decide the most popular member of the local Legion post. Arrange to have the newspaper print coupons in the paper, along with the names of the leading candidates. Call your stunt the "Buck Privates Popularity Contest" and make only buck privates eligible. CHASER, THE (First National comedy) : Have a man dressed like Harry Langdon mounted on a funny looking bicycle (one of the old high-wheel bikes would be all right if you can obtain one) peddling furiously down the 6treet and carrying a sign "I am 'The Chaser!" " The bicycle should be altered so that the pedals go around at a high speed, while the machine itself moves very slowly, which will add to the ludicrous appearance and the effect. The same thought is adaptable to another "Chaser" 6treet gag, such as having youngsters chase each other through the principal 6treets. etc. An old automobile of about 1904 vintage with an asthmatic engine would be another gag to use for a ballyhoo. Give your leading dealer in men's clothing some of the Langdon "stills" and get a window display with cards which you could have printed with the following inscription : " 'The Chaser' made a great hit with the ladies. But Harry Langdon realized the value of appearances: he dressed up ! Wear brand clothes and you'll be just as effective yourself." CROWD, THE (M-G-M drama) : A suggestion for teaser throwaways is as follows : On the outside of the throwaway, have printed "Go where "The Crowd' goes, see inside." And in the inside of the throwaway, the following should be printed : "To the theatre for the best motion picture in town ! Coming, another big feature, 'The Crowd,' at the — theatre (Date). Following is a letter for your mailing list: "Dear Patron: King Vidor directed "The Big Parade' and 6pent over one year in making 'The Crowd,' which is going to be shown at the theatre (Date). You have had the same struggles, the same fun, the same disappointments, and the same happiness that is in the 'The Crowd.' If you are looking for something different in the way of screen entertainment, don't miss 'The Crowd.' Yours sincerely theatre." FORBIDDEN HOURS (M-G-M drama) : Following are some suggestions for place-cards that can be posted in front of the theatre and nearby : "Warning! You are forbidden to park, neck, or loiter around or in front of this theatre during the showing of 'Forbidden Hours' " or "Warning ! You are forbidden to park, neck, or loiter here between the hours of 12 noon and midnight, during the showing of 'Forbidden Hours,' now at the theatre." In this picture Ramon Novarro smokes a pipe. Arrange a tie-up with a cigar store to have the following poster in his window : "Ramon Novarro says a pipe is his favorite smoke — his choice is (Name Dealer's Pipe). See him at the _ theatre in 'Forbidden Hours,' now showing at the theatre. " LOVE HUNGRY (Fox drama) : For a ballyhoo you can use the following suggestion: Arrange to have a young, well dressed man and woman walk along the main thoroughfares of the town eating sandwiches. Each can have a sign on the back reading "Are you 'Love Hungry?' If you are. follow us to the theatre." Tie up with your restaurant and pay half of the expense of the printing of the following menus : "Are you food hungry ? If you are, you will be pleased at the (Restaurant). Are you 'Love Hungry?' If you are, you will be sure to enjoy the picture at the theatre (Date)." SMART SET, THE (M-G-M comedy-drama) : Following is a letter for your mailing list: "Dear Patron : The Smart Aleck of the Screen — its irrepressible wisecracker — the star who breezes through his pictures leaving a trail of laughter and huge enjoyment — the star that men like and women adore — William Haines, is here again — and you're in for another evening of fine entertainment. This time you will see him in 'The Smart Set,' a picture based on the International Polo Matches with Great Britain. Confident, boyishly conceited and liking the ladies, he goes on a 'big bender' on the eve of the big game and is barred for breaking training. Eventually he gets his chance and comes through with flying colors. The polo games are exciting, thrilling and colorful. You'll fight and play with the riders and you'll enjoy Haines in this picture because he is even better than in 'Slide, Kelly, Slide,' 'West Point,' 'Spring Fever' and his other previous photoplays. 'The Smart Set' will begin (Date) at the Strand theatre. Jack Holt, Alice Day and Hobart Bosworth have featured roles in the cast. Very truly yours, (Theatre Manager)." STRONGER WILL, THE (Excellent drama) : Following is a suggested letter for your mailing list: "Dear Patron: Please make a note on your engagement pad that on _ we will show 'The Stronger Will.' We feel sure you will wish to see it. Percy Marmont is the star ; the supporting cast includes Rita Carewe, lovely and talented daughter of Edwin Carewe ; also Erin La Bissioniere, William Morton Bailey, Howard Truesdell and Merle Ferriss. The story tells of frenzied love and finance as played by the Wall Street and Park Avenue set in New York. It is a very fine entertainment and quite the best picture in which Mr. Marmont has appeared. Sincerely your6 theatre." THREE-RING MARRIAGE (First National drama) : Prior to run of the picture, draw wedding rings, in groups of threes, on sidewalk in front of theatre, also on your display boards around town. Then after curiosity is aroused, break with your announcement. Another teaser stunt consists in having clowns go through the principal streets with bells, which they ring three times. Do this for a day or two. Announcement comes in forms of posters on his back, although he .continues characteristic ringing three times. When distributing heralds in mailing boxes, ring the bell three times. Receivers will remember the odd ring and tie-up with the title when they read the herald. Merchants available for tie-ups with "Three Ring Marriage" are women'6 and men's shops specializing in wedding attire, and jewelers. Provide them with window cards for display. In cooperation with your newspaper, start a contest on the question, "Do you wear your wedding ring?" or "Should a husband wear a wedding ring if he demand? his wife to wear one?" TILLIE'S PUNCTURED ROMANCE (Paramount comedy-drama) : Send out a broken down automobile with a comical looking chauffeur in Chester Conklin make-up. In the rear seat place a girl dressed as Louise Fazenda. Banners on the sides and front of the car can read, " 'Tillie's Punctured Romance' at the. theatre." Rent a very old car and put a couple of big bed springs between the chassis and the body 60 that, with each revolution of the wheels the body jumps up and down. Tie-up with an automobile dealer and have him send one of his new cars around the town with the following banners on both sides of the hood and the back: "For real enjoyment drive a (Name of Auto) and see 'Tillie's Punctured Romance' at the theatre (Date)." Arrange with your radio dealer to install a magnavox over your box office, with amplifiers inside the theatre, to bring the laughs inside to the people outside. YOUR WIFE AND MINE (Excellent comedydrama): Following is a letter for your mailing list: "Dear Patron: Please make a note on your calendar to see 'Your Wife and Mine,' which comes next to the theatre. It is a spirited farce-comedy of married life with a cast including Phyllis Haver, Stuart Holmes. Barbara Tennant, Wallace MacDonald, Katherine Lewis, and others. Their bad luck is your good fun. The whole picture is fun from the start to finish ; good, clean, honest fun with not a blush in it. Come and enjoy it and bring ill the members of your family, especially if they are interested in marriage. Sincerely yours Theatre." WHIP WOMEN, THE (First National drama): If you can get a team of oxen and an ox-cart, drees a girl in clothes similar to the ones worn by Estelle Taylor in this picture. Give her a whip and let her drive through the main streets of the town. Heralds can be thrown from the cart. If you have a mixture of foreign people in your town, a suggestion for post cards to be sent to them is as follows : "Dear Friend : Knowing that you are interested in seeing a picture that deals with the life in Hungary, we take this opportunity of informing you that beginning (Date) we will show 'The Whip Women.' Sincerely. The Management." Dress your ushers in the clothes of a Hungarian peasant with the bulging shoulders and wide dresses. . . Give a prize to the person who has the best costume in the Hungarian style. The people can judge by their applause. Three suggestions for lobby posters exploiting Metro-Goldivyn-Mayer's "The Crowd" a King Vidor production starring Eleanor Boardman. For the left poster, title green with buff shading on the sides, crmvd of people orange and white, upper background pale blue. For the center poster, roadways yelloiv, buildings purple with black spots for windows, upper background green, title red. For the right poster, heart red, flesh tint on figures, background tan with black shadings, title red, crowd of people blue.